This week ACPA briefed the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) at their Fall Meeting in New Orleans, LA on opportunities for engineering firms to deepen their understanding of the intricacies of working with low carbon materials. Concrete is an essential material used in more than simply transportation projects and paving. It is essential to preserving our quality of life. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) incentivized programmatic changes to transportation materials through its Low-Carbon Transportation Materials Grants (LCTM) program and, although grants have yet to be announced, as many as 39 State Highway Agencies (SHAs) across the country could each receive more than $22 million to make changes. Low carbon materials may not behave like traditional materials and SHAs need help from the entire engineering community on drafting specifications, understanding strength requirements, and creating Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in the process. This is why ACPA helped create, in part, the Reduced Carbon Concrete Consortium (RC3) to continue to act as a resource for all who touch the concrete paving industry. ACPA and RC3 will notify the industry when the grant announcements are made and will keep our members and the community apprised of what it means for SHAs and paving.

Speaking of climate, the hurricanes in the southern states have impacted the rollout of ACPA’s Airport Workshopin Orlando, FL on November 5 -7. However, registration is OPEN and spots are still available! This event offers unique opportunities for group discussions focused on solutions and provides guidance for interpreting, gaining a better understanding of, and gaining practical insights about the specifications for airport paving.   If you are involved in airport work, this is the most intensive training you will receive on airport paving this year. Send your teams because airport work remains strong, particularly in the southern region, and interfacing with FAA on the work you may be doing is integral to the success of bidding work or any future project you may work on. Check out the program and REGISTER TODAY!

Stay tuned also for the announcement of the Distinguished Services Awards. ACPA’s Board of Directors is voting now on the Marlin J. Knutson Award for Technical Achievement, the Outstanding Pavement Promotion Award, the Lifetime Pavement Recognition Award (Airport), and the Sustainable Practices Recognition Award, all of which will be awarded at the Annual Meeting of the Members luncheon on Wednesday, December 6. The Hartman-Hirschman-Egan Award will be presented at the Awards Banquet on the evening of Thursday, December 7. The hotel room block for this event is filling up, so register today!

This has been a strong year so far ACPA, let’s continue to make it memorable, just as Chairman Ernie Peterson and his wife Tracy did by pausing to capture a moment in Washington, DC during ACPA’s Board of Directors meeting.

Cheers!

Laura